Sacramento State course helps take the blues out of turning green

A lot of businesses say they are going green, but Sacramento State can help show them how to do it right.

The College of Continuing Education is developing a Green Business Operations Certificate program designed to help facility managers, building engineers, purchasing and contract managers, office managers and small business owners incorporate environmentally friendly practices into their businesses.

“Operating a green business is uncharted territory for many businesses and many government agencies because their employees tend to have no formal training or experience in green operations,” says Kirsten Ryden, professional development programs, College of Continuing Education. “They don’t know how to identify attributes of a green product or how to measure the fiscal impact of their new green policies.”

Courses will show organizations how to operate a green facility, define and report on key performance indicators, establish new procedures and sustainable procurement of materials and services used in a green business and develop financial justification models for programs and projects, Ryden says.

Courses begin in April, but CCE is getting the word out early so businesses have an opportunity to add it to their calendars. Several organizations are already on their wait list, Ryden says.

For more information on the Green Business Operation Certificate, contact CCE at (916) 278-4433. For media assistance, contact the Sacramento State Public Affairs office at (916) 278-6156.